I have been watching 115" 8 points all season long. I have one 10 point that I have targeted but I have only on camera at 2 AM a few weeks ago.
I made decision to get off of the cans and set up a chum stand about 100 yards from my cans.
I had some business out West on Tuesday to attend to and made a last minute decision to go out and atleast throw some corn on the chum stand I had setup. As it turned out, I managed to get into the stand with some time to spare.
As a side note, I have been sick with a cough and fever for about 10 days and I had a coughing fit on the way out that afternoon. I stopped and bough a pack of cough drops and I managed to go through the entire pack in a 3 hour hunt.
At about 4:45 PM, I had a 3.5 yo 8 and a 2.5 you 6 walk in and start to feed on the hand thrown corn. Then they were joined by a couple of yearling spikes that made a bum rush on the corn. Followed by a single doe who kept the youngsters busy for about two hours during the hunt, they kept it stirred up the entire three hours.
At about 6:30 PM! A group of mad cows walked in to feed on the corn. I was in no mood to deal with cows. I had a femor from a dead cow under my quad pod and I got down and went cave man on them. I threatened then with the cow bone and they got the messege. I then returned to my pirch in the oak mott.
At about 6:55 PM, the 3.5 yo 8 point and 2.5 year old 6 returned to feed. The enttie time the 3.5 yo 8 point was uneasy and had his attention turned to the Northwest. I knew from his actions that there was a better buck in the area and was waiting to walk in to feed.
At about 7:05 PM, the 5.5 yo, 130" 8' point showed himself to the West at about 75 yards. He ambled in and stood at about 30 yards while cautiously scanning the area. He then walked in to the most South chum area to feed.
I had him at 15 yards but he never presented a shot. I also had to contend with the 2.5 yo 6 who walked to the North chum area to feed. The big 8 made a move to walk to the North chum area but stopped between the two and started to walk out. I had a mesquite tree between he and I and I had no shot. Then he decided to turn and return to the North chum area, running the 2.5 yo to the South chum area. The two spots are about 15 yard apart, with a dead out between them.
The Big 8 then decided to walk to the most South chum area. When he turned to walk, I turned on my Spott Hogg light on low to allow me to see my pins. I then drew my Mathews Heli-M. Took a couple of more steps, stopped broadside at 15 yards. I had a small post oak that wa about 3 feet between he and I. When he stopped, the oak covered his shoulder. At full draw, I made a decision that this buck was not walking out. I then moved to am aiming point just to the right of the small oak and fired the Carbon Express with a 125 grain Grizz Trick. It was a little back but a double lung shot.
I knew it was a great shot but I waited 30 minutes to jump down and check my arrow. It was a complete pass through and the arrow was lodged in a small limb that was laying on the ground in some cactus. I found a small bit of blood on the cactus and checked the arrow which was covered with blood. I tracked him for about 5 yards, lost blood and backed out for help from my brother who wa at camp. It was about 7:45 PM at this point and wa very dark.
My brother came to the location and we tracked him another 50 yards and then I picked up his eye shine at about 25 yards. He crashed after about a 125 yard sprint. It was a double lung and it happened quickly!
I am convinced that you will see bucks at chum stands that you will never see at a feeder. I have hunted chum stands in the past with some luck, but I have never been patient enough to stay in them and let them mature and develop. My strategy has now changed to the way I hunt big bucks. I have killed a few good bucks (a 5.5 yo, 145" 10 point, two years ago).
This was probably one of the most gratifying hunts I have ever had. To have no feeder involved in the hunt made it special!
I made decision to get off of the cans and set up a chum stand about 100 yards from my cans.
I had some business out West on Tuesday to attend to and made a last minute decision to go out and atleast throw some corn on the chum stand I had setup. As it turned out, I managed to get into the stand with some time to spare.
As a side note, I have been sick with a cough and fever for about 10 days and I had a coughing fit on the way out that afternoon. I stopped and bough a pack of cough drops and I managed to go through the entire pack in a 3 hour hunt.
At about 4:45 PM, I had a 3.5 yo 8 and a 2.5 you 6 walk in and start to feed on the hand thrown corn. Then they were joined by a couple of yearling spikes that made a bum rush on the corn. Followed by a single doe who kept the youngsters busy for about two hours during the hunt, they kept it stirred up the entire three hours.
At about 6:30 PM! A group of mad cows walked in to feed on the corn. I was in no mood to deal with cows. I had a femor from a dead cow under my quad pod and I got down and went cave man on them. I threatened then with the cow bone and they got the messege. I then returned to my pirch in the oak mott.
At about 6:55 PM, the 3.5 yo 8 point and 2.5 year old 6 returned to feed. The enttie time the 3.5 yo 8 point was uneasy and had his attention turned to the Northwest. I knew from his actions that there was a better buck in the area and was waiting to walk in to feed.
At about 7:05 PM, the 5.5 yo, 130" 8' point showed himself to the West at about 75 yards. He ambled in and stood at about 30 yards while cautiously scanning the area. He then walked in to the most South chum area to feed.
I had him at 15 yards but he never presented a shot. I also had to contend with the 2.5 yo 6 who walked to the North chum area to feed. The big 8 made a move to walk to the North chum area but stopped between the two and started to walk out. I had a mesquite tree between he and I and I had no shot. Then he decided to turn and return to the North chum area, running the 2.5 yo to the South chum area. The two spots are about 15 yard apart, with a dead out between them.
The Big 8 then decided to walk to the most South chum area. When he turned to walk, I turned on my Spott Hogg light on low to allow me to see my pins. I then drew my Mathews Heli-M. Took a couple of more steps, stopped broadside at 15 yards. I had a small post oak that wa about 3 feet between he and I. When he stopped, the oak covered his shoulder. At full draw, I made a decision that this buck was not walking out. I then moved to am aiming point just to the right of the small oak and fired the Carbon Express with a 125 grain Grizz Trick. It was a little back but a double lung shot.
I knew it was a great shot but I waited 30 minutes to jump down and check my arrow. It was a complete pass through and the arrow was lodged in a small limb that was laying on the ground in some cactus. I found a small bit of blood on the cactus and checked the arrow which was covered with blood. I tracked him for about 5 yards, lost blood and backed out for help from my brother who wa at camp. It was about 7:45 PM at this point and wa very dark.
My brother came to the location and we tracked him another 50 yards and then I picked up his eye shine at about 25 yards. He crashed after about a 125 yard sprint. It was a double lung and it happened quickly!
I am convinced that you will see bucks at chum stands that you will never see at a feeder. I have hunted chum stands in the past with some luck, but I have never been patient enough to stay in them and let them mature and develop. My strategy has now changed to the way I hunt big bucks. I have killed a few good bucks (a 5.5 yo, 145" 10 point, two years ago).
This was probably one of the most gratifying hunts I have ever had. To have no feeder involved in the hunt made it special!
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